Sheet pulp container forming apparatus



June 5, 1-945. L M. WILEY SHEET PULP comuman FORMING APPARATUS Filed m 27, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 "455M W/LEX Mfg? I BY I. M. WIL Y smam PULJP' CONTAINER FORMING APPARATUS June 5, 1945.

Filed May 27, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Lit N. lV/M-K June 5, 1945. L wlLEY 2,377,392

"SHEET PULP CONTAINER FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fi a 3 INVENTOR.

73 155 M. W/Lf).

lun 5; 1945.

I. M. WILEY V f 2,377,392

SHEET PULP CONTAINER FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 L55 M l MEK June 5, 1945. L. M. WILEY SHEET PULP CONTAINER FORMING APPARATUS Fil ed May 27, 1942 INVENTOR. LEE M, W/Lf).

Patented June 5, 1945 SHEET PULP CONTAINER FORMING APPARATUS Lee M. Wiley, Marion, Ind., assignor of one-third to Julian T. Lett and one-third to Reeley B. Wiley, both of Marion, Ind.

Application May 27, 1942, Serial No. 444,671

.6 Claims. (01. 184) This invention relates to the substantial dehydration and final formation of deep seamless containers formed from flat fibrous sheet stock suitably dampened and/or impregnated, coated or the like.

The chief object of this invention is to reduce the number of finishing operations and operating time over that initially and broadly disclosed in copending application Serial No. 288,343, filed August 4, 1939, entitled, Sheet pulp container forming process and apparatus therefor, and now matured into Patent 2,337,581, dated December 28, 1943.

As disclosed in said patent, paper sheet stock is subjected to moisture and other liquid materials, then blanked to the required size and shape, then precreased. or fluted in blank ejection to a receiver mold and then initially molded. A modified form of blanking, precreaslng and preforming in a receiver mold is also disclosed in the copending application Serial No. 334,823, filed May 13, 1940, and entitled "Process and apparatus for forming seamless fibre stock containers. aforesaid, from which excess moisture, liquid, et cetera, has been mechanically expressed by pressure, is automatically discharged from the receiver mold to an article support on an endless conveyor having intermittent movement since the receiver mold is turret mounted and indexible from station to station.

For the purposes of this invention this disclosure starts with said endless conveyor. Herein the same passes through a two-stage dryer and then to a stuifer device. Here the articles are supplied to a turret type former and follow- This partially formed article, formed as ing further formation and treatment therein,

they may be discharged to a stacking tube for subsequent packaging.

The chief feature of the present invention resides in the two-stage heaterand article travel therein.

Another feature resides in turret type former with its associated article supplying and discharging mechanisms. 1

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational side view of the heater, former, and associated mechanisms.

' Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational side view of the transfer and stuffing mechanism between heater and former.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the stripper mechanism.

Fig. 5 Ban elevational view of a portion of the conveyor structure parts being shown in section.

Figs. 6 and 7 are central section and end elevational views, respectively, of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

As initially stated herein, the blank stock prior to blanking has been subjected to conditioning that is the application of moisture, et cetera. The resulting blank is then creased or fluted in a predetermined manner prior to reception by a receiver mold in which a large percentage of the moisture (free moisture) is pressure extruded, et cetera. The conveyor mentioned, to which the receiver molds discharge partially formed articles its oven entering run indicated by the numeral I0 in Fig. 1.

As distinguished from the prior copencling disclosures, the upper run I0 of the conveyor enters the oven I I through opening I2, This run then passes to sprocket I3 and then back and forth over sprockets I4 and I5 gradually rising in the oven.

The oven includes a baffle plate I Ii that terminates at I 1 so that run I8 lies above said baflle. Sprocket I9 above the plate I6 directs the conveyor to sprocket 20 above another and offset baflie 2|. Baflie I6 forms a lower and dehydrating chamber 22 which in the present instance, contains six runs of the conveyor.

Bafiies 2| and I6 form a superposed preheating chamber 23 in which there are approximately three runs of the conveyor. These chambers communicate by throat 24 formed by baiiles I6 and 2|. The preheating chamber is elongated and overhangs at 23 the dehydrating chamber at the discharge end of the oven, such discharge passage being indicated at 25 in which is mounted sprockets 26. The wall of the dehydrating cham- Mr is extended upwardly at Illa forming a baiile in turn providing throat 21 between the preheating chamber 23 and discharge passage 25.

Near the base of theoven I I and approximately below sprockets 26 are sprockets 28 adjacent opening 29 opposite opening I2. The lower and return run of the conveyor is indicated by 30 and passes from the oven II' through opening I2 to the transfer station at the turret type former having the receiver molds before mentioned and not shown herein. Following article transfer to the conveyor it and said articles enter the oven at I! as aforesaid.

Preferably conveyor travel is intermittent to permit conveyor and receiver mold registration for article transfer during the turret dwell period during which one set of receiver molds receives and preforms the blank, another set pressure forms same, and another set discharges articles to the conveyor herein all as set forth in the first mentioned copending application.

It is to be understood the conveyor diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 includes two spaced chains of sprocket link type suitably connected together at predetermined distances apart by transverse members 3i--see Fig. 2-central part.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 7, it will be noted member 31 is tubular and spaced along the same are mushroom-like article supports having the head 32 and stem 33 rigid therewith. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, tube 3| is non-circular and ever. for clearness are not herein'illustrated. The oven likewise should be of insulated character but such heat insulation is similarly not illustrated for like reasons.

a support base 34 is adlustably but rigidly mounted on the tube by cap 33. A shank 38 is socketed at 31 to receive the lower end 3311 of stem 33 shouldered at 33a. The socket is split at 37a and clamp bolt 31b rigidly secures the stem 33 in said socket.

It will be appreciated that support 32-33 can be readily removed and replaced by another support whenever another type of article is fabri-- cated. This is eflected by loosening 3111. Also, it will be understood that by removing cap 35, the entire individual support can readily be removed without disturbing other supports or the conveyor. By loosening the caps 33 the supports on tube 3| can be readily adjusted thereon as desired or required with regard to spacing between supports in transverse alignment. The immediate connection of the ends of tubular member 31 to chains II is shown in Figs. 5 and '7. Herein the tubular element 33 has a center which is the center of a roller chain link.

Mounted thereon is ball race 33 and mounted thereon is socket 40 having depending portion 4| which at its lower end is-notched, or bifurcated as at 42 to nest or seat the adjacent end of tube 3|. A bolt 43 extends through registering aperture 3la in the seated end of the tube andis threaded into portion ll at 0, portion ll being relieved or recessed at lla for bolt end-reception.

From the foregoing it is noted that all mushroom supports, of which there are seven, with the cross member 3| and end. members ll are one rigid unit which swivels about the center of spaced members 33 of the sprocket chain conveyor l0 and upon races 39.

The comparative weights are such that the parts always assume a position. when not positively constrained, such that heads 32 are always uppermost. This means the articles nested thereon always are retained on the supports in conveyor travel from the receiver mold transfer station to and through the oven and at the discharge end thereof. Certain of the sprockets are power driven and certain areof idler type, Op-

eration ofthe conveyor, as stated, is preferably of intermittent character.

Reference will now be had more to Figs. 1 and 2 for a disclosure of the oven construction, control and operation. Access to the interior of the oven, which is required for sprocket, chain, et ceterainspection, repair and lubrication may be-provided by suitable means wherever necessary or convenient. Same, howcates a plurality of exhaust ports and of like number. In the preheating chamber 23 a plurality of heat supply ports ll are provided. Herein two are shown.

For convenience the oven heat is supplied. by air heated externally of the oven 4'! indicatin electric heat supply means for the air in unit ll.

The air heated in unit ll is drawn from same by fan 49 and supplied to conduits which connect to the supply ports 44 and I. The fan draws this air through unit 43 from conduits ll connecting at one end to unit ll and at the opposite end to the discharge ports 46. Thus recirculation is effected thereby reducing heat cost to a minimum.

For a better understanding of the, foregoing portion of the invention, the following is set forth by way of example only and same is illustrative and not restrictive in character. I

In t example if all mushroom supports are covered, there will be 819 in the dehydrating chamber and 427 in the preheating chamber at any one time. The respective temperatures found satisfactory are 250 to 350 F. in the dehydrating chamber and 400 to 500" F. in the preheating chamber. Controls, not illustrated, maintain chamber temperatures within a 15 range of the predetermined desired temperature.

The conveyor II is endless and approximately feet in length of which approximately 99 feet are in the oven at all times. A satisfactory conveyor speed is twelve-and a half feet per minute. For six inches of conveyor travel an interval of one and two tenths seconds is required. This interval is then followed by a like pause interval so that the chain advances the aforesaid distance of six inches every two and four,

tenths seconds of operation. Since 99 feet of the conveyor are in the oven and the aforesaid speed and travel prevails in the selected example, each article is in the oven approximately 198 intervals of 2.4 seconds or slightly less than eiaht minutes and of this approximately 5.8 minutes is period in the dehydrating chamber portion.

By test of one article example, including water and ethyl acetate, the article when entering-the oven weighed 32.6 grams, of which 18.3 grams were pulp fibre, 4.4 grams of solids (including resins, sizes, et cetera), 11.0 grams of water and 0.9 gram of ethyl acetate. Such article leaving the oven weighed 22.28 grams so since substantially all the acetate and most of the water is removed in the dehydratingphamber 10.23 grams weighs but 20.7 grams so that in that final operation 0.73 gram of water are pressed and steamed out is hereinafter described. This 0.73 gram plus 10.23 grams totals 11.0 grams so the resulting article is substantially devoid of moisture as well as ethyl acetate.

The term residual moisture is applied tojhe 0.73 gram content. In the oven the 819 articles initially weigh 69 pounds. In the 9.8 minutes required to travel through the dehydrator approximately 18.5 pounds of water are lost as well as one and a quarter pounds of ethyl acetate or a loss of 19.75 pounds.

In the preheating chamber the 427 articles weigh 21 pounds. The total weight of the 1,246 articles in the oven at any one time may be said to be 89.25 pounds plus 21 pounds plus half the loss of 19.75 pounds or approximately 70 pounds since the dehydrator entering articles are fully saturated and the dehydrator discharging articles are dry except for residual moisture.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 1 and 3, wherein the stuiling transfer or discharge device is illustrated. As shown in Fig. 1 between the vertically aligned, superposed sprockets 26 and 28' and offset relative thereto, are two pairs of spaced sprockets 66 and 56 with an intermediate pair of sprockets 66, only one of each pair being shown. These sprockets are supported by shafts bearing the subscripts a on a T-shaped 'subframe 61a slidably mounted in waysin the spaced frame members 67. These members 61 are carried by the frame 66 of the turret type finishing mechanism having turret 69 rotatably supported at 60 upon a horizontal axis. This turret is four sided and each face detachably mounts a sub-base 6| mounting a number of finishing female molds 62 corresponding to the number of mushroom supports in transverse alignment.

The frame members 61 includes horizontal ways 63 and the subframe 51a is T-shaped and slidably mounted therein. Pivoted on the crosshead portion 64 is connecting rod 65 pivoted at 66 to one arm 61 of a bell crank structure pivoted at 66 and having arm 69 pivotally connected at III to a longitudinally adjustable link H pivoted at 12 to arm 13 operable by a cam on a shaft 16, see Fig. 2. This shaft is also the power shaft for the stripper mechanism hereinafter to be described. v

Shaft 66 extends across the machine and the ways are duplicated so both sides of the T-sha-ped subframe 61a are caused to move toward and away from'the female molds 62 in the actuation of the cross heads 64. Positioned intermediately on the shaft 56a is the equivalent of a star-wheel. It is shown dotted at 76 in Fig. 3 and includes rollers 16 and seating notches l1 therebetween. Now as each tube 6| reaches the star-wheel 16, the tube seats in the seat 77 so that the article support is no longer subject to gravity but is positively tilted as shown in Fig. 3 and in the rotation of the star-wheel.

Contraction of the article in the dehydrating oven insures retention 'of said article upon the mushroom to which it then clings. To insure exact registration adjacent the star-wheel 76 is a slotted member 16 with slot I8. It is stationary. As the T-shaped members move toward receiving molds 62 a roller 16 enters slot 76 and moves forward therein. wheel and sprocket 66 stationary during article stripping.

when stripping is completed, the aforesaid structure is retracted and roller 16 is free of the slot, etc., and the conveyorcan advance one distance unit of travel. Observe from Fig. 1 that the three associated stumng mechanism pairs of sprockets 66, 56 and 66 constitute a triple reel mechanism and are so positioned relative rollers This holds the star The oflsetting before mentioned, therefore, permits sprockets 66, 65 and 66 to reciprocate as a unit without chain stretching. as it were.

Reference will now be had to the stripper mechanism which is illustrated rather completely in Fig. 4 and to a certain extent in Fig. 3. In the latter the actual stripper fingers 60 move up and to the right from the full line position to the dotted line position. This movement naturally cannot be completed until the article has been advanced and seated in the receiving female. mold 62. Return movement of the stufling mechanism (in the reciprocation) as previously described, re-

sults in the article engaging the stripper finger r ,60 and being held thereby so that the article clinging connection to the support is broken and the article is retained in receiver 62.

Following this action or simultaneously with the stripper-article engagement a valve 6|, see

Fig. 3, may be opened to supply suction to the upward extension 66a. Shaft 61 is the actuator Hand 26 that sprocket chain stretching is not I required. This is because-while sprockets 26 and 26 are in substantial alignment, this alignment is not tangential to aligned sprockets 64 and 66.

for the-stripping fingers, as hereinafter pointed out. The actuator thereof is arm 93 keyed thereto at 611: and the portion flib'thereof is pivotally connected at 63c to an adjustable link 9 pivotally connected at 9a to a rocker arm 8 mounting a follower I riding in slot 6 in a circular internal cam 6 on shaft 74, see Fig. 2. The rocker arm is suitably pivoted at its other end. Note crosshead actuating arm 13 is similarly actuated by a comparable cam on camshaft l4.

These stripping fingers, see Figs. 3 and 4, are bifurcated at 66c and each is tapered at 60a. The base 66b is detachably secured to cross member 66 by bolt 69 and tongue 60d seating in slot 66a. Cross member 66 mounts spaced shafts'sil carrying rollers 9i riding in the slots 6666a aforesaid, see Fig. 3. The cross member 66 at each lower end includes a bearing face 861) and a notch 66c. Adjustable'stops 92 limit the lower position of member 66.

Shaft 67 aforesaid mounts arms 63 which are pivotally connected by pins 93a to link 94 hav-- ing the upperends seated in notches 66c and the lowermost shafts 96 constitute the link pivotal connections to the cross member 66. Accordingly, as shaft 67 is rocked, the cross member 66 with the fingers 66, corresponding to article being fabricated, israised and lowered and moved laterally in the upper part of its movement by the angular portions 61-6611 of slots 66.

From the aforesaid it is apparent that when the horizontally directed article supports (positively constrained as described) are stabilized in the extended position by bodily movement to the right of the entire stuiling or triple reel mechanism, the stripping fingers have moved upwardly and to the right to strip the articles from the hr m s pp r s and trap thearticles in the receiver molds 62, said articles being then retained therein by friction and/or suction as dewell as turret 69 carrying receiver molds 62.

Reference will now-be had more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2. Therein is illustrated a turret type finishing press. As previously suggested.

the receiver mold following stripper removal and during turret rotation.

As shown in Fig. 4 of Patent No. 2,337,581 aforesaid, a ring or mouth former and a central plunger slidable therethrough, although herein duplicated, are relatively reciprocable toward and away from a female mold containing the semiformed article. A somewhat similar arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 2 of said patent for the second station operation in a turret type former, a singular male die arrangement at the third station and an article ejector arrangement at the fourth station.

Herein, see Fig. i, the second station frame portion is indicated by the numeral 95, the third station frame portion by 95 and the base and fourth station frame portion by 01. The loading or first station frame portion is indicated by 51.

At the first finishing station 90 indicates the mouth forming member and 99 the plunger or central male portion of the multiple die. Either or both of these as well as female mold 52 may be electrically heated wherr desired. As set forth in the last mentioned patent, the outer die member 93 is detachably secured to a cross head slidable in ways carried by frame 05. This cross head provides ways upon which slides a second cross head to which is detachably secured the plunger 99. These two cross heads are each connected to a toggle structure and each toggle structure has its midportion connected to one end of a connecting rod in turn connected at its opposite end to suitable actuating mechanismsuch as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of Patent No. 2,337,581 or to a crank pin carried by a plate rotatably mounted. Herein at the second station two plates I and IN carry crank pins I02 and I03, respectively, to which are connected rods I04 and I05. These rods are connected as stated, to the toggle structure midportions for die movement toward and away from the receiver female die and relative movement between the male die portions.

. At the third station there is provided the aligned male dies and the mouth former is designated by I05 and the central plunger by I01. In like manner these are actuated by connecting rods and toggles through crossheads slidable in ways. Herein I08 and I09 designate plates with pins H0 and III with connecting rods H2 and I I3, respectively.

The two plates I00 and IN are carried by shafts mounting meshing gears H4 and H5, re-

spectively. Similarly plates I00 and Ill are mounted on shafts mounting meshing gears H5 and I I1. Rigid with the gear III mounting shaft is a sprocket with which meshes chain II5 associated with an adjustable tension idler II9.

Chain H8 is driven by a sprocket on shaft I20 which also mounts sprocket I2I driven by chain I22 tensioned by idler I23. A gear I24 on shaft I20 meshes with gear H5 for crank rotation.

Chain I22 in turn is carried by a lower sprocket (not shown) mounted on a shaft indicated at I25 in Fig. 2.

As shown in said figure a conventional source for actuating shaft m, the shaft upon which is -mounted the sprockets 23 in the discharge portion of the oven. I

Shaft 14 is extended, see Fig. 2, and mounts sprocket I32 which is chain connected to sprocket I33 suitably associated with a shaft I34, see Fig. 1, that mounts a turret I35 from which projects spindles I35 carrying mushroom supports I31, if desired, similar to those illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. This turret is indexable in timed relation with turret 59.

When the turrets are stationary, the articles may drop from molds 52 to supports I31 or be blown thereto. At the second station of turret I35 a printing attachment, indicated schematically, may be provided and same is indicated at At station three of turret I35 a suitable article receiver such as tube I42, may be provided While much of this description has been in the singular, the same is intended, whenever necessary, to cover seven longitudinally aligned units in each instance.

Certain parts are detachable for repair, replacement, as well as substitution whenever different shaped containers are desired other than those of the bean pot style herein illustrated.

It is also to be understood that final formation of the article occurs in association with turret 59. This final formation, as stated, may be by heated dies. However, it is to be understood that the resins are conditioned in the preheating chamberin oven II and may be pressure consolidated only or consolidated by heat and pressure simultaneously and at one or two stations as desired or required. Printing and decorating likewise may be applied or omitted as desired.

Again referring to Fig. 2, note that bevel gears I43 supply power from line shaft I26 to sprocket I44 carried by shaft I45 engaged by chain I45 tensioned as at I 41 and driving sprocket I48 on shaft I49. Sprocket I50 also on shaft I49 mounts chain I5I, tensioned at I52 and driving sprocket I53 on shaft I54. Spool I55 and drum I59 also are mounted on said shaft and constitute the drive for the turret 59. A clutch I5'I-I58-l59 is also provided and from same power is derived by a chain through sprockets, I being carried by shaft I25.

Note that ejection from the stutter, ejection to the printing turret and ejection to the tube I42 all occur while the two turrets and the conveyor are stationary and article forming by dies 99 and I05-I0| also occurs at this interval.

when the turrets index, the stufling mechanism is retracted, the strippers are lowered and the conveyor is advanced one step or distance interval.

The invention claimed is:

l. A transfer mechanism for transferring successively presented articles comprising in combination a movable cup-shaped article receiving means, means moving said receiving means to a transfer station and therefrom, an endless conveyor means, article supports carried thereby in spaced relation, said supports being shaped to nest in said receiving means, conveyor operating means, means for bodily moving a portion of the conveyor means towards and away from .said transfer station for nesting and denesting ceiving means, stripper means juxtapositioned to the transfer station, and means actuating said stripper means in timed relation to the movement of the article support into the receiving means for stripping the article from the support and holding the article in the receiving means during retraction of the article support from said station -for effecting article transfer, the conveyor operating means and the means for moving the receiving means being actuable simultaneously.

2. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein the means for bodily moving a portion of the conveyor includes three alternately and oppositely offset, bodily movable and rotatable structures, two fixed position, spaced rotatable structures between which the three first named structures are positioned, the conveyor means passing about portions of each of said structures, the extreme limits of the movement of the bodily movable structures being at opposite sides of a plane common to the axes of rotation of said two spaced rotatable structures.

3. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said means'for bodily moving a portion of the conveyor means comprises a T-shaped subframe, a, supporting frame therefor, a ways and crosshead connection therebetween, and intermittently operable means for actuating the crosshead thereof for subframe reciprocation.

4. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein each of the article supports is movable relative to the conveyor means and means are providedfor normally constraining the supports to a predetermined position, and means juxtapositioned to the transfer station for moving the support at said station into a position suitable for nesting the support in the receiving means at said station. a

5. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein each of the article supports is movable relative to the conveyor means and means are provided for normally constraining the supports to a predetermined position, and means juxtapositioned to the transfer station for moving the support at said station into a position suitable for nesting the support in the receiving means at said stapasses within the oven, partition means therein to form successive chambers for dehydration and preheating purposes respectively, article supports carried by the conveyor means for conveying articles through the oven for dehydration and preheating, a transfer device iuxtapositioned to the discharge opening and comprising a triple reel structure operatively associated with the conveyor means, the latter passing about portions of each of the reels, a plurality of movable article receiving means spaced from the oven, means for moving each of the plurality of receiving means to a transfer station, means for moving the three reels bodily toward and away from the oven and simultaneously away from and toward the transfer station respectively, reel movement toward said station positioning the article sup"- port in the receiving means at said station, and

stripping means at said station for stripping articles from the supports and retaining the stripped articles in the receiving means when the reel structure is retracted toward the oven, the means moving the receiving means operating only when the reel structure is sufliciently retracted toward the oven for support clearance relative to the receiving means, the conveyor means being advanced only when the reel structure is retracted from the transfer station. 

